Cricket on a political pitch

When TV programmers plan debates about playing cricket with Pakistan and want an oddball sort with a contrary view, I'm the man they call. The reason for this is quite simple: for years and years, I've been almost the only person who opposes playing cricket with Pakistan and can speak correct English. It is always instructive that when I decline the invitation, my place on the programme is nearly always taken by some venomous Shiv …

…That's a risk that the BJP is not prepared to take. Far better to re-schedule the series so that it is held after the elections. Then, the defeats, if they do occur, will not jeopardise the government's chances of re-election. In the final analysis, that's what this controversy is about. Not about security. And certainly not about cricket. It is about electoral politics. cite - times of india, tribuneindia, cricket.com, ecylopedia, times of pakistan